Reversible hinge for refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A top hinge structure for mounting a door on a cabinet such as a refrigerator cabinet so that with the same hinge plate and the same receiving means hingedly connecting the plate to the door the door may be mounted for either right-hand or left-hand opening and closing.

United States Patent Fellwock et a].

1 51 Julyll, 1972 [54] REVERSIBLE HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR [72] Inventors:Charles G. Fellwoek; Donald L. Tuley, both of Evansville, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [22] Filed: Oct. 30, I969 [21]Appl. No.: 872,539

[ [58] FleldofSearch 16/128,170, 135, I70

[S6] Referenm Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,389,424 6/1968 Fellwock,.l6/l70 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS I37,l29 9/1964 France ..l6/l702,002,358 10/1969 France Ul6/l70 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay

Assistant Examiner-Doris C. Troutrnan Arwmey-Hofgren, Wegnen Allen,Stellman a McCord, James S. Nettleton, Thomas E Turcotte, Burton H.Baker, Gene A. Heth. Franklin C Harter, Anthony Niewyk and Robert L Judd[57] ABSTRACT A top hinge structure for mounting a door on a cabinetsuch as a refrigerator cabinet so that with the same hinge plate and thesame receiving means hingedly connecting the plate to the door the doormay be mounted for either right-hand or lehhand opening and closing.

REVERSIBLE HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR One of the features of this inventionis to provide a hinge structure for a cabinet door comprising a tophinge plate having a pair of opposite side edges each at an obliqueangle to the centerline of the plate, a hinge pin member on the platebetween its opposite edges, means for attaching the hinge plate to thecabinet top with one of the side edges of the plate adjacent a cabinetside and a corresponding door side and means on the door hingedlyengaging the hinge pin member with the result that the hinge plate maybe mounted on the cabinet top adjacent the selected side of the cabinetfor hinged movement of the door in the corresponding direction.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of one embodiment thereof as shown in theaccompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. I is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of one embodiment ofthe invention with the door mounted for hinging on the left side.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I but with the door mounted formovement in the opposite direction.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a hinge plate usable either in the embodimentof FIG. I or FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an edge elevational view of the plate of FIG. 3.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a cabinet Isuch as a household refrigerator cabinet with a front opening normallyclosed by a vertically mounted door II with this cabinet having a top 12and sides 13 and 14. The door also has corresponding top 15 and sideedges 21 and 22.

The hinge structure for location at the top of the cabinet and door andfor either left or right operation comprises a hinge plate 16 having apair of opposite side edges 17 and 18 each at an oblique angle to acenterline 19 of the plate. Any suitable bottom hinge structure (notshown) may be provided for use with the top hinge.

Hinge plate 16 also carries between its opposite side edges 17 and 18 aprojecting hinge pin member 20. Means are provided for attaching hingeplate 16 to the cabinet top 12 with the side edge 17 adjacent cabinetside l3 and the correspond ing door side 21 or to the cabinet top 12with the side edge 18 adjacent cabinet side 14 and the correspondingdoor side 22. In the embodiments shown this attaching means comprisesthree screws 23 adapted to extend through three openings 24 in a hingeplate l6 and to be held in three corresponding openings 25 in thecabinet top 12 for hinging on the left side and openings for hinging onthe right side. In the embodimerits illustrated each hinge plate 16 isalso provided with a spacer plate 26 and a cover 27.

The hinge structure also includes receiving means embodied in a socket28 or socket 31 for receiving the pin 20. In the embodiment illustratedthe socket 28 and 31 are located at the top edge 15 of the door I I.

In the embodiments illustrated the hinge pin member 20 is substantiallysymmetrical with respect to the side edges 17 and I8 which convergetoward an end 29 of the plate 16 at which is located the pin 20.

With the hinge structure of this invention it is only necessary toemploy a single hinge plate 16 and cooperating attaching means formounting the door 11 for hinging on the left side as illustrated in theembodiment of FIG. I or for mounting the door 11 for hinging on theright side as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 2. In each of theseembodiments the top hinge plate 16 is the same, the sockets 28 and 31are the same and the attaching means 23, 26 and 27 are the same. Thedifference is that in the embodiment of FIG. 1 the one side edge I! ofthe hinge plate 16 is positioned adjacent the cabinet side I3 while inthe embodiment of FIG. 2 the side edge 18 of the hinge plate ispositioned adjacent the other side 14 of the cabinet.

In the embodiments illustrated cabinet I0 is an insulated refrigeratorcabinet and the door I] is also insulated and each is mounted foropening in a desired direction depending upon the space available at thelocation of the refrigerator. This is possible because the hinge memberis reversible and it is only necessary to provide a single top hingeplate 16 and associated structure for mounting the door for operation ineither direction.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified.

We claim:

I. A top hinge structure for use in mounting an upright door having atop, and left and right edges on a cabinet having a top, and left andright sides, comprising: a top hinge plate having a pair of opposite,left and right, side edges each extending at an oblique angle toward apoint on a center-line of the plate; a hinge member retained on saidplate between its said opposite side edges; means for attaching saidhinge plate to said cabinet top selectively with said left edge of saidplate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet left side or with said rightside edge of said plate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet rightside, and with said plate being cantilevered forwardly from said cabinetto have said hinge member disposed over the top of said door; andreceiving means on said door for hingedly engaging said hinge memberwith said hinge plate in either of said selective dispositions.

2. The top hinge structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge member issubstantially centered between said side edges of its respective plate.

3. The top hinge structure of claim 2 wherein said side edges convergetoward an end of said plate, and said hinge member is located adjacentsaid end.

4. The top hinge structure of claim I wherein said hinge membercomprises a pin and said receiving means comprises a socket means onsaid door for pivotally receiving said pin.

5. A refrigerator structure comprising: a refrigerator cabinet havingwall means defining right and left side walls and a front opening; aclosure for said opening having a top and a bottom; bottom hinge meansfor hingedly mounting the bottom of the closure on the cabinet wallmeans; a reversible top hinge member for mounting the top of saidclosure to said wall means for selective left or righthand swinging ofsaid closure relative to said opening, said top hinge member defining anend carrying a pivot connector means for pivotally engaging the top edgeof said closure. said top hinge member having right and left oppositesides converging toward said pivot connector; means for mounting saidtop hinge member on said wall means selectively at the right or leftopposite sides of said top hinge member substantially parallelrespectively to said right or left refrigerator side walls.

6. A top hinge structure for use in mounting an upright door having atop, and left and right edges on a cabinet having a top, and left andright sides. comprising: a top hinge plate having a pair of opposite,left and right, side edges each extending at an oblique angle toward apoint on a centerline of the plate, said hinge plate including a planarwide end and a planar narrow end extending parallel to and spaced fromthe plane of said wide end; a hinge member retained on said narrow endof said plate between its said opposite side edges; means for attachingsaid wide end of said hinge plate to said cabinet top selectively withsaid left edge of said plate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet leftside or with said right side edge of said plate adjacent and parallel tosaid cabinet right side, and with said narrow end of said plate beingcantilevered forwardly from said cabinet to have said hinge memberdisposed over the top of said door; and receiving means on said door forhingedly engaging said hinge member, with said hinge plate in either ofsaid selective dispositions.

7. The top hinge structure of claim 6 wherein said wide end of the hingeplate includes a plurality of holes arranged symmetrically to saidcenterline of the plate, and said hinge member is disposed at saidcenterline.

8. The top hinge structure of claim 6 wherein said narrow end is spacedabove the plane of said wide end when the hinge plate is attached tosaid cabinet top in either of said selective dispositions.

9. The tap hinge structure of claim 6 wherein said hinge membercomprises a pin having a head overlying said hinge piate and a shankextending downwardly through said narrow end of the hinge plate.

a: a nr PC4050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,675,271 Dated July 11, 1972 Inventt s CHARLES G. FELLWOCKand DONALD L, TULEY It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Claim 5, line 46, after "left" insert the phrase --top of said openingwith right or left-- Signed and sealed this 23rd day of January 1973-(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer

1. A top hinge structure for use in mounting an upright door having atop, and left and right edges on a cabinet having a top, and left andright sides, comprising: a top hinge plate having a pair of opposite,left and right, side edges each extending at an oblique angle toward apoint on a center-line of the plate; a hinge member retained on saidplate between its said opposite side edges; means for attaching saidhinge plate to said cabinet top selectively with said left edge of saidplate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet left side or with said rightside edge of said plate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet rightside, and with said plate being cantilevered forwardly from said cabinetto have said hinge member disposed over the top of said door; andreceiving means on said door for hingedly engaging said hinge memberwith said hinge plate in either of said selective dispositions.
 2. Thetop hinge structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge member issubstantially centered between said side edges of its respective plate.3. The top hinge structure of claim 2 wherein said side edges convergetoward an end of said plate, and said hinge member is located adjacentsaid end.
 4. The top hinge structure of claim 1 wherein said hingemember comprises a pin and said receiving means comprises a socket meanson said door for pivotally receiving said pin.
 5. A refrigeratorstructure comprising: a refrigerator cabinet having wall means definingright and left side walls and a front opening; a closure for saidopening having a top and a bottom; bottom hinge means for hingedlymounting the bottom of the closure on the cabinet wall means; areversible top hinge member for mounting the top of said closure to saidwall means for selective left or righthand swinging of said closurerelative to said opening, said top hinge member defining an end carryinga pivot connector means for pivotally engaging the top edge of saidclosure, said top hinge member having right and left opposite sidesconverging toward said pivot connector; means for mounting said tophinge member on said wall means selectively at the right or leftopposite sides of said top hinge member substantially parallelrespectively to said right or left refrigerator side walls.
 6. A tophinge structure for use in mounting an upright door having a top, andleft and right edges on a cabinet having a top, and left and rightsides, comprising: a top hinge plate having a pair of opposite, left andright, side edges each extending at an oblique angle toward a point on acenterline of the plate, saiD hinge plate including a planar wide endand a planar narrow end extending parallel to and spaced from the planeof said wide end; a hinge member retained on said narrow end of saidplate between its said opposite side edges; means for attaching saidwide end of said hinge plate to said cabinet top selectively with saidleft edge of said plate adjacent and parallel to said cabinet left sideor with said right side edge of said plate adjacent and parallel to saidcabinet right side, and with said narrow end of said plate beingcantilevered forwardly from said cabinet to have said hinge memberdisposed over the top of said door; and receiving means on said door forhingedly engaging said hinge member, with said hinge plate in either ofsaid selective dispositions.
 7. The top hinge structure of claim 6wherein said wide end of the hinge plate includes a plurality of holesarranged symmetrically to said centerline of the plate, and said hingemember is disposed at said centerline.
 8. The top hinge structure ofclaim 6 wherein said narrow end is spaced above the plane of said wideend when the hinge plate is attached to said cabinet top in either ofsaid selective dispositions.
 9. The top hinge structure of claim 6wherein said hinge member comprises a pin having a head overlying saidhinge plate and a shank extending downwardly through said narrow end ofthe hinge plate.